Hi, my name is Janne Amunét. Born in Finland, but raised internationally, I take pride in having a Scandinavian aesthetic to my images, but as a lover of stories, crafting stunning pictures always takes second seat to what the story at hand is. I am a lover of story, light and shadow – mostly in that order. The world is full of pretty pictures, but it’s the picture that tells the story that really matters. Whatever the medium, I’ll always go the extra mile to tell the story.
Name: Janne Amunét, 31.
Currently based in: Helsinki, Finland.
Language(s) spoken: English, Finnish, Swedish.
Occupation: Director, DoP & Creative @ Kauas Creative.
How did you get started in our industry? I fell into filmmaking almost accidentally through photography and music. At the time I was interning at a record company as an A&R assistant, and one of my duties was helping with the visuals for bands. I produced a few music videos, helping with their concepts and so on, but did not get seriously involved until I accidentally ended up at the launch event of the Canon 5D mark II. I basically went there only for the free food, but after seeing what the camera was capable of in terms of video, I convinced my boss to buy one. My brother and I went out and shot a music video on the camera and, just a few weeks after the camera’s European launch, we had our first video on MTV. So most likely I may have the credits to have gotten the first DSLR music video on MTV :)
Since then it’s been a whirlwind ride of photography to film, a few features, a few documentaries, and lots of advertisements.
Current assignments: My current assignments are centered around the brand videos of a few top Finnish tech startups, directing commercials for design brands and working on a new short film with my brother Samu Amunét
What types of productions do you mostly shoot? I’ve somehow gotten into a place where I do a lot of visual-based voiceover work for mid-sized brands both in and out of Finland. What usually ties the productions together is a need for a defined rawness that’s characteristic of my brother’s work and mine. They jokingly call us the Batman of the industry because we literally rise out of the dark…
What is your dream assignment / job in our industry and what are you really passionate about? I’m passionate about stories of normal people overcoming extreme obstacles to bring justice to a situation in an otherwise unjust world. My dream jobs are the ones where I get to speak life into the heart of viewers when they are in a dark place. To be able to do the kind of job where someone watches your work and in their dark place they can see or remember it, know that they are not alone and rise out stronger, that is the work I love doing.
Janne Amunét – Filmmaker
In the work that you are presenting us, now that it is done, what would you have done differently throughout the production? I would have wanted more time for location scouting and the chance to use more natural light for shooting the grownup scenes. This was a bare-bones crew with my brother and I directing, me DPing, plus a gaffer, a make-up artist and our producer. In the morning with the kids, it was just my brother and I shooting, meaning we together were the directors, DPs, smoke machine technicians, gaffers and FX guys, all in one. It was a crazy shoot but it went well, hugely thanks to the technology behind the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, which allowed us to shoot so light and fast.
We were very hurried in production and had to shoot this right after thanksgiving weekend in Atlanta, which made finding actors, location permits and scouting downright impossible. We were supremely blessed to have a great local producer from Pull Spark help out on this impossible task, securing us the actors and a few locations we needed.
We shot the whole story in one day, which meant we were forced to script the entire second part of the short to be shot during the night. Because of this, we had to get really creative with what natural light sources we could find. Basically 80% of the film was just lit on one or two litemats and ambient light. Location was key during the night, and we were very happy to find a location with lots of available ambient light.
Another thing I would have done differently is to have had the opportunity to use older lenses for the children scenes to give them even more of a vintage look. Unfortunately, none of the rental houses were able to give us the lenses and adapters we needed for this, so we had to make do with what we had.
What current camera, lenses and sound equipment do you use? I shoot with absolutely everything out there. The way I see it, each camera and sensor is like a different film stock to me. I want to match the strengths of the camera to the story, style and special production needs of the project. There is no perfect camera, just the right one.
In terms of lenses, I used to own a complete set of Leica R lenses which I regrettably sold at some point. Those are terrific lenses with a beautiful Cooke-ish character to them.
Right now some of my favorite lenses are the Zeiss HS Mark II that our closest rental house acquired. They’ve been fully rebuilt and partly rehoused, and are a perfect match to modern, detailed sensors without going too vintage. They give the perfect amount of character to most of my modern shoots.
Apart from those, I love shooting on modern Cooke Anamorphics. They’re just so perfectly flawless, yet have enough character to be very versatile lenses.
I’ve also grown to love two lenses from Olympus. The ED 12-100mm Sync IS lens is just pure magic and is one of the best all-around lenses I know for the M43 platform. It’s incredibly versatile, robust and surprisingly portable. The 25mm 1.2 is also one of my favorites from Olympus. I shot about 50% of this music video just with that one lens, almost always wide open.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
You chose to shoot your project with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Did you impose on yourself any limitations like not shooting with a tripod? Did you shoot using the camera’s flat(ish) mode? Did you colour correct? Were you happy with the results? The main reason I wanted to shoot with the Olympus was to help us work with our non-actor children in the film. We wanted to keep our footprint as low as possible whilst still being able to pull off myriad of moves. The stabilization in the Olympus meant that I was just handholding the camera most of the time with only a top handle and a cage.
Early on, we made the decision to use this camera because we knew we needed to pull off an incredible amount of shots in a single day, and having had a bigger crew would have inhibited that. We wanted to be able to discover and play with the kids, see where the day would take us. We also wanted to stay low, usually at or under the eye level of the children, to get this feeling of viewing the world from their perspective.
We shot using the Olympus Video Picture Profile and used the curves to lower the highlights -2 and raise the shadows +2. We graded the piece in Resolve using some custom profiles and LUTs I made for the camera.
For the situation, the lighting challenges and our run-n-gun setup, I was very happy with what we got. We felt like we got an intimate view into the kids lives and some great moments with the actors and the talent herself.
What’s your favorite lighting equipment and why did you choose that kit over other solutions? I love LEDs due to the ability of hiding them in sets. Just the sheer pleasure of being able to duct-tape a “skylight” to the roof using a LiteMat is so much fun. Then again, I much prefer certain lights for skin-tones for actors. I love using big 5K tungsten units and dimming them down to get this golden glow when bounced off of muslin. I also have an addiction to Peacock Blue and Steel Blue with dirty fluorescent units for some really nasty-looking colored light for darker stuff.
Again, I take what serves the story and the production the best.
Do you use drones/gimbals in your productions? If so, what is the most effective way you’ve found of deploying them? We used to own a big Freefly drone back in the day when people were only just starting to fly cinema cameras. We loved it back then when it was still fresh, but the market got so saturated so fast that aerial shots in Finland at least started to feel more like the cheap way to add production value instead of a tool you use to tell a story. Since then I’ve steered away from aerials if I can’t use them to somehow to add a new layer or feel to the story.
I’ve also used gimbals extensively and worked as a steadicam operator for years. The most effective way of using a gimbal for me is when we want to pull off a lot of different shots in a limited amount of time, but still retain the possibility of mimicking lots of certain moves without having to change setup all the time.
A good example of this was a recent brand film for Porsche where we used a gimbal extensively as a tripod, a car chase rig and a low slung dolly.
We also needed to capture tennis players while running with them, but we wanted to give a frantic feel to the camera, so we used the Mimic from Freefly to let my brother introduce all the wild camera angles and movements, while letting me focus on running with the camera very close to the tennis players at ankle-breaking speeds. The gimbal stabilized the movement, and the Mimic allowed my brother to freely get those fast whips and pans even at such extreme speeds.
It would have taken so much time to get those shots without a gimbal, and without the Mimic it would have looked more like a smooth dolly shot and would not have had that aggressive camera movement that we were going for.
What editing systems do you use and did you have any problems editing the Olympus footage? The footage from the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is super easy to work with and edit. There’s a surprising amount of data in the file and you’re able to really push, pull, re-crop and grade the material to a way that you like as long as you are using the high bit-rate 4K 24p DCI settings.
How much of your work do you shoot in Log and what is your preferred way of colour correcting? I actually do not really like shooting Log if I don’t have to. I grew up with film photography and have always liked “baking the look in”. Even when shooting Log, I always monitor with a LUT to get as close as possible to the final look I want for the film, often choosing to warm up or make the image colder, greener, underexpose and so on in order to get the look we want for the film.
In the grade, I like to work fairly simply in DaVinci Resolve. I almost always use the same LUT I used while shooting, doing minor exposure and color correction before the LUT, and then after the LUT, cleaning up the highlights and blacks whilst accentuating certain colors and muting others in order to build a specific color palette to the grade.
How frequently do you travel and do you have any tips when it comes to packing your gear? I travel quite a bit for work. I often see Vloggers and filmmakers pack so much gear into their bags “just in case”, drowning themselves in gear while traveling, missing out on a lot of things due to just being too heavily equipped.
My philosophy is to prepare in advance instead of preparing for everything. We almost always want to choose a specific style, a specific viewpoint and a set of rules for our shoot. This often means we shoot 80% of the film on one lens and establish certain rules on movement and composition. This means I only pack what I know we need for that specific vision, working within the boundaries of that vision to craft a certain look instead of letting the subject dictate the terms of our visual palette.
Then I pack my MacGyver kit with me which includes the basic knives, tools, noga-arms, pieces of gels, specialty connectors and the so on, which allows me to use whatever I can find in a hardware store to make custom lighting fixtures or rigs or other creative pieces of gear.
You can almost always find a way to pull off a vision if you have some creativity instead of packing everything imaginable. You don’t need to pack a full set of gels – just go to the thrift store and see what you can bounce your light off of or what you can shoot through. Or think how you can use that cable or that rope to sling the camera from somewhere.
Limiting yourself produces some of the best creativity in you. Don’t deny yourself that.
You can follow Janne Amunét’s creative work by clicking here or here.

Hi, my name is Janne Amunét. Born in Finland, but raised internationally, I take pride in having a Scandinavian aesthetic to my images, but as a lover of stories, crafting stunning pictures always takes second seat to what the story at hand is. I am a lover of story, light and shadow – mostly in that order. The world is full of pretty pictures, but it’s the picture that tells the story that really matters. Whatever the medium, I’ll always go the extra mile to tell the story.
Name: Janne Amunét, 31.
Currently based in: Helsinki, Finland.
Language(s) spoken: English, Finnish, Swedish.
Occupation: Director, DoP & Creative @ Kauas Creative.
How did you get started in our industry? I fell into filmmaking almost accidentally through photography and music. At the time I was interning at a record company as an A&R assistant, and one of my duties was helping with the visuals for bands. I produced a few music videos, helping with their concepts and so on, but did not get seriously involved until I accidentally ended up at the launch event of the Canon 5D mark II. I basically went there only for the free food, but after seeing what the camera was capable of in terms of video, I convinced my boss to buy one. My brother and I went out and shot a music video on the camera and, just a few weeks after the camera’s European launch, we had our first video on MTV. So most likely I may have the credits to have gotten the first DSLR music video on MTV :)
Since then it’s been a whirlwind ride of photography to film, a few features, a few documentaries, and lots of advertisements.
Current assignments: My current assignments are centered around the brand videos of a few top Finnish tech startups, directing commercials for design brands and working on a new short film with my brother Samu Amunét
What types of productions do you mostly shoot? I’ve somehow gotten into a place where I do a lot of visual-based voiceover work for mid-sized brands both in and out of Finland. What usually ties the productions together is a need for a defined rawness that’s characteristic of my brother’s work and mine. They jokingly call us the Batman of the industry because we literally rise out of the dark…
What is your dream assignment / job in our industry and what are you really passionate about? I’m passionate about stories of normal people overcoming extreme obstacles to bring justice to a situation in an otherwise unjust world. My dream jobs are the ones where I get to speak life into the heart of viewers when they are in a dark place. To be able to do the kind of job where someone watches your work and in their dark place they can see or remember it, know that they are not alone and rise out stronger, that is the work I love doing.
Janne Amunét – Filmmaker
In the work that you are presenting us, now that it is done, what would you have done differently throughout the production? I would have wanted more time for location scouting and the chance to use more natural light for shooting the grownup scenes. This was a bare-bones crew with my brother and I directing, me DPing, plus a gaffer, a make-up artist and our producer. In the morning with the kids, it was just my brother and I shooting, meaning we together were the directors, DPs, smoke machine technicians, gaffers and FX guys, all in one. It was a crazy shoot but it went well, hugely thanks to the technology behind the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, which allowed us to shoot so light and fast.
We were very hurried in production and had to shoot this right after thanksgiving weekend in Atlanta, which made finding actors, location permits and scouting downright impossible. We were supremely blessed to have a great local producer from Pull Spark help out on this impossible task, securing us the actors and a few locations we needed.
We shot the whole story in one day, which meant we were forced to script the entire second part of the short to be shot during the night. Because of this, we had to get really creative with what natural light sources we could find. Basically 80% of the film was just lit on one or two litemats and ambient light. Location was key during the night, and we were very happy to find a location with lots of available ambient light.
Another thing I would have done differently is to have had the opportunity to use older lenses for the children scenes to give them even more of a vintage look. Unfortunately, none of the rental houses were able to give us the lenses and adapters we needed for this, so we had to make do with what we had.
What current camera, lenses and sound equipment do you use? I shoot with absolutely everything out there. The way I see it, each camera and sensor is like a different film stock to me. I want to match the strengths of the camera to the story, style and special production needs of the project. There is no perfect camera, just the right one.
In terms of lenses, I used to own a complete set of Leica R lenses which I regrettably sold at some point. Those are terrific lenses with a beautiful Cooke-ish character to them.
Right now some of my favorite lenses are the Zeiss HS Mark II that our closest rental house acquired. They’ve been fully rebuilt and partly rehoused, and are a perfect match to modern, detailed sensors without going too vintage. They give the perfect amount of character to most of my modern shoots.
Apart from those, I love shooting on modern Cooke Anamorphics. They’re just so perfectly flawless, yet have enough character to be very versatile lenses.
I’ve also grown to love two lenses from Olympus. The ED 12-100mm Sync IS lens is just pure magic and is one of the best all-around lenses I know for the M43 platform. It’s incredibly versatile, robust and surprisingly portable. The 25mm 1.2 is also one of my favorites from Olympus. I shot about 50% of this music video just with that one lens, almost always wide open.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
You chose to shoot your project with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Did you impose on yourself any limitations like not shooting with a tripod? Did you shoot using the camera’s flat(ish) mode? Did you colour correct? Were you happy with the results? The main reason I wanted to shoot with the Olympus was to help us work with our non-actor children in the film. We wanted to keep our footprint as low as possible whilst still being able to pull off myriad of moves. The stabilization in the Olympus meant that I was just handholding the camera most of the time with only a top handle and a cage.
Early on, we made the decision to use this camera because we knew we needed to pull off an incredible amount of shots in a single day, and having had a bigger crew would have inhibited that. We wanted to be able to discover and play with the kids, see where the day would take us. We also wanted to stay low, usually at or under the eye level of the children, to get this feeling of viewing the world from their perspective.
We shot using the Olympus Video Picture Profile and used the curves to lower the highlights -2 and raise the shadows +2. We graded the piece in Resolve using some custom profiles and LUTs I made for the camera.
For the situation, the lighting challenges and our run-n-gun setup, I was very happy with what we got. We felt like we got an intimate view into the kids lives and some great moments with the actors and the talent herself.
What’s your favorite lighting equipment and why did you choose that kit over other solutions? I love LEDs due to the ability of hiding them in sets. Just the sheer pleasure of being able to duct-tape a “skylight” to the roof using a LiteMat is so much fun. Then again, I much prefer certain lights for skin-tones for actors. I love using big 5K tungsten units and dimming them down to get this golden glow when bounced off of muslin. I also have an addiction to Peacock Blue and Steel Blue with dirty fluorescent units for some really nasty-looking colored light for darker stuff.
Again, I take what serves the story and the production the best.
Do you use drones/gimbals in your productions? If so, what is the most effective way you’ve found of deploying them? We used to own a big Freefly drone back in the day when people were only just starting to fly cinema cameras. We loved it back then when it was still fresh, but the market got so saturated so fast that aerial shots in Finland at least started to feel more like the cheap way to add production value instead of a tool you use to tell a story. Since then I’ve steered away from aerials if I can’t use them to somehow to add a new layer or feel to the story.
I’ve also used gimbals extensively and worked as a steadicam operator for years. The most effective way of using a gimbal for me is when we want to pull off a lot of different shots in a limited amount of time, but still retain the possibility of mimicking lots of certain moves without having to change setup all the time.
A good example of this was a recent brand film for Porsche where we used a gimbal extensively as a tripod, a car chase rig and a low slung dolly.
We also needed to capture tennis players while running with them, but we wanted to give a frantic feel to the camera, so we used the Mimic from Freefly to let my brother introduce all the wild camera angles and movements, while letting me focus on running with the camera very close to the tennis players at ankle-breaking speeds. The gimbal stabilized the movement, and the Mimic allowed my brother to freely get those fast whips and pans even at such extreme speeds.
It would have taken so much time to get those shots without a gimbal, and without the Mimic it would have looked more like a smooth dolly shot and would not have had that aggressive camera movement that we were going for.
What editing systems do you use and did you have any problems editing the Olympus footage? The footage from the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is super easy to work with and edit. There’s a surprising amount of data in the file and you’re able to really push, pull, re-crop and grade the material to a way that you like as long as you are using the high bit-rate 4K 24p DCI settings.
How much of your work do you shoot in Log and what is your preferred way of colour correcting? I actually do not really like shooting Log if I don’t have to. I grew up with film photography and have always liked “baking the look in”. Even when shooting Log, I always monitor with a LUT to get as close as possible to the final look I want for the film, often choosing to warm up or make the image colder, greener, underexpose and so on in order to get the look we want for the film.
In the grade, I like to work fairly simply in DaVinci Resolve. I almost always use the same LUT I used while shooting, doing minor exposure and color correction before the LUT, and then after the LUT, cleaning up the highlights and blacks whilst accentuating certain colors and muting others in order to build a specific color palette to the grade.
How frequently do you travel and do you have any tips when it comes to packing your gear? I travel quite a bit for work. I often see Vloggers and filmmakers pack so much gear into their bags “just in case”, drowning themselves in gear while traveling, missing out on a lot of things due to just being too heavily equipped.
My philosophy is to prepare in advance instead of preparing for everything. We almost always want to choose a specific style, a specific viewpoint and a set of rules for our shoot. This often means we shoot 80% of the film on one lens and establish certain rules on movement and composition. This means I only pack what I know we need for that specific vision, working within the boundaries of that vision to craft a certain look instead of letting the subject dictate the terms of our visual palette.
Then I pack my MacGyver kit with me which includes the basic knives, tools, noga-arms, pieces of gels, specialty connectors and the so on, which allows me to use whatever I can find in a hardware store to make custom lighting fixtures or rigs or other creative pieces of gear.
You can almost always find a way to pull off a vision if you have some creativity instead of packing everything imaginable. You don’t need to pack a full set of gels – just go to the thrift store and see what you can bounce your light off of or what you can shoot through. Or think how you can use that cable or that rope to sling the camera from somewhere.
Limiting yourself produces some of the best creativity in you. Don’t deny yourself that.
You can follow Janne Amunét’s creative work by clicking here or here.

Yes! 2016 is over and 2017 is getting started. But before we move on to new things (likely to start with CES later this week), we wanted to revisit some of this year’s biggest announcements and releases. Here are the most notable cameras of 2016!
Sony A6300 / Sony A6500
The Sony a6300 released early in 2016 was a true upgrade to the earlier a6000, improving on almost every aspect. Autofocus, build quality and feel, processing, low light… everything was just better. A true entry-level 4K video mirrorless camera, it aimed to go for the throat of the venerable Panasonic GH4, but featuring an APS-C sensor rather than Micro Four-Thirds and better low light performance than the competition. It also proved to be a stepping stone for shooters wanting to enter the emerging and very popular Sony video mirrorless market, offering A7S-esque performance at a lower price. In terms of its codec and picture profiles, it also worked as a great little B-cam to use un conjunction with other Sony cameras, from the A7 line, FS5, FS7, and so on…
And then, just a mere few months later, came the Sony a6500. Packed with a host of additional nice-to-have features — even faster autofocus, touchscreen LCD, chunkier grip, an easier menu structure, and A7S II-style In Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS) — these days it goes for a slightly higher price than the Sony a6300. It seems Sony is intent on aggressively saturating the market with options for potential buyers so that, whatever your budget, they have the right camera for you. This is a similar strategy to the one we saw with the introduction of the Sony FS7 II: a slightly better camera for a little bit more cash. The choice is yours!
Recommended reading:
Sony a6300 Review – Real-World Video & First Impressions Sony a6500 Review – Real World Video Samples and First ImpressionsSony a6300 vs. Sony a7S II Image Quality – How Good is it Really?
FUJIFILM X-T2
At first glance, it may seem that the X-T2 mirrorless APS-C camera from FUJIFILM is rather lacklustre. On paper, it doesn’t really offer that much more than the tried and tested, indie favourite Panasonic GH4 other than the larger sensor. But it is in practice that this first foray by FUJIFILM into the mirrorless video market that this camera really shines. With a dynamic range that challenges that of the Sony A7S II, and offering astounding image resolution and detail, the FUJIFILM X-T2 certainly has earned a place in our most notable cameras of 2016.
The lesson with this one, folks, is that FUJIFILM is listening and ready to compete with the biggest names out there, having released the X-T2 and the GFX for medium format in quick succession.
Recommended reading:
FUJIFILM X-T2 Review – Real World Video Samples and First ImpressionsFujifilm X-T2 vs. Sony a7S II – Which One is the Best Mirrorless Video Camera?
Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II
Another first foray into the 4K mirrorless video market, the Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II was one of the cameras of 2016 that really caught our attention back at last year’s Photokina. Although this Micro Four-Thirds has been inevitably marketed as a stills camera with video capabilities, it still offers 24p, DCI 4K, high data rates and a very well-behaved rolling shutter. Most notably, though, is the camera’s IBIS technology that gives an almost tripod or dolly-like quality to handheld shots (up to a certain extent, of course). It needs to be seen to be believed, but even experienced Steadicam operators are singing its praises, so make sure to check it out if your style of shooting calls for a lot of handheld work.
Recommended reading:
Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II ReviewTesting the Olympus E-M1 MK II – On the Go Ep. 40 – feat. Janne AmunétOlympus E-M1 MK II: The End of the Steadicam? – On the Go Ep. 41 – feat. Janne Amunét
Panasonic GH5
One of the most anticipated cameras of 2016, the successor to the GH4 was announced last September to the delight of GH4 fans worldwide, and what an announcement it was. Expected in 2017, the Panasonic GH5 promises to bring 10-bit 4:2:2 4K, and 4K at 60/50p for the first time ever to a mirrorless system, among a host of other photography-related features. When it finally hits the market, we can expect the GH5 to be as popular and revolutionary as its predecessor, likely forcing Sony to up its game significantly with its (hopefully upcoming) A7 III line.
The GH vs A7 battle is a hot topic among video users, with interesting features on both sides of the equation. But with a history of being priced at less than half of the Sony, the Panasonic certainly has a lot going for it. More news about the GH5 (which will be released in 2017) are on the horizon.
Recommended reading:
Panasonic GH5 Announced – 4K 60p 10bit 4:2:2 internal
Panasonic Varicam LT
Announced at the beginning of 2016, the Panasonic Varicam LT came as the little brother to the larger, more expensive Varicam 35. It features a lighter, more compact body ideal for single operators, while maintaining key features from its bigger brother such as its sensor, switchable native ISO 800 / 5000, and a host of resolutions and frame rates.
Although the Panasonic Varicam LT starts at a relatively low price for a professional cinema camera, as is usually the case the price starts to add up quickly when adding essential accessories. But at $16,500, it is not out of the realm of possibility for potential owner operators.
Recommended reading:
Panasonic VariCam LT is a Lightweight High-End 4K Cinema CameraPanasonic VariCam LT – Hands-On & Exclusive 4K Footage
Canon C700
While Panasonic moved down the range of available models with the Varicam LT, the new Canon C700 is aimed at the polar opposite of the spectrum. Introduced as Canon’s new flagship cinema camera in 2016, the C700 abandons the signature vertical form factor of the C series, opting for a more traditional shape. It features 10-bit 4K, and records ProRes 422HQ and 12-bit 4444 in 2K, as well as allowing for up to 59.94p 4K in the XF-AVC codec, and RAW capabilities via the optional Codex CDX-36150 recorder. The body is also available in a Global Shutter version at the expense of 1 stop of dynamic range for a total of 14 available stops.
Recommended reading:
An Introduction to the Canon EOS C700 Cinema CameraThe Canon C700 meets Aston Martin – On The Go Ep. 33 – Clive Booth, Christian Anderl & Ingo Leitner
RED Helium 8K
Ok, so this one is not really a camera, or at least not one you can just buy off the shelf, as there were only 20 of those white RED Helium bodies released to a limited crowd. The sensor upgrade, however, is available for all existing RED Weapon and RED Epic W cameras. The new Helium sensor essentially packs twice the amount pixels, and is the first to bring 8K to the Super 35mm format. In addition, you can now record ProRes 4K proxies.
RED, as always, remains at the vanguard of digital cinema and earns a well-deserved place in our most notable cameras of 2016.
Recommended reading:
First Hands On With RED Weapon Helium 8K Camera New RED Helium 8K Sensor and Michael Bay’s Custom Camera
DJI Osmo RAW
A very innovative device in and of itself, the DJI Osmo family saw this year the inclusion of its latest member: the DJI Osmo Raw. With it, DJI managed to bring what seemed to be just a fun toy into the league of professional cinema cameras through the 4K, RAW-enabled Micro Four-Thirds imager of the Zenmuse X5R camera. Offering 12 stops of dynamic range and the ability to change lenses, as well as being compatible with the DJI Inspire 1 drone, this was truly one of the cutest cameras of 2016.
Recommended reading:
DJI Osmo RAW Review – Zenmuse X5R – First Footage How Does the Osmo RAW Compare to Professional Cinema Cameras?
DJI Inspire 2
Probably the last big announcement in terms of both drones and cameras of 2016, the DJI Inspire 2 is, as its name indicates, the successor to the very popular DJI Inspire 1. Besides huge improvements in drone performance, safety and ergonomics, the big step up is — again — the DJI Zenmuse camera. This time, however, it’s all about the Zenmuse X5S, featuring a Micro Four-Thirds sensor at a resolution of 5.2K and with both RAW and ProRes capabilities. The quality coming out of this drone’s camera is so stunning in fact, that it could be said to closely match that of the current digital cinema Gold Standard: The ARRI Alexa.
Recommended reading:
DJI Inspire 2 Review – The Drone that Rivals ARRI Alexa Image Quality?
So there you have it: the cameras of 2016 we thought were worth revisiting one more time bher 20 16 focus on what’s coming in 2017. All of us at cinema5D hope for a new year full of more exciting camera announcements and advancements, and wish you all the best of luck in your quest for compelling and beautiful image creation. Happy shooting!

Yes! 2016 is over and 2017 is getting started. But before we move on to new things (likely to start with CES later this week), we wanted to revisit some of this year’s biggest announcements and releases. Here are the most notable cameras of 2016!
Sony A6300 / Sony A6500
The Sony a6300 released early in 2016 was a true upgrade to the earlier a6000, improving on almost every aspect. Autofocus, build quality and feel, processing, low light… everything was just better. A true entry-level 4K video mirrorless camera, it aimed to go for the throat of the venerable Panasonic GH4, but featuring an APS-C sensor rather than Micro Four-Thirds and better low light performance than the competition. It also proved to be a stepping stone for shooters wanting to enter the emerging and very popular Sony video mirrorless market, offering A7S-esque performance at a lower price. In terms of its codec and picture profiles, it also worked as a great little B-cam to use un conjunction with other Sony cameras, from the A7 line, FS5, FS7, and so on…
And then, just a mere few months later, came the Sony a6500. Packed with a host of additional nice-to-have features — even faster autofocus, touchscreen LCD, chunkier grip, an easier menu structure, and A7S II-style In Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS) — these days it goes for a slightly higher price than the Sony a6300. It seems Sony is intent on aggressively saturating the market with options for potential buyers so that, whatever your budget, they have the right camera for you. This is a similar strategy to the one we saw with the introduction of the Sony FS7 II: a slightly better camera for a little bit more cash. The choice is yours!
Recommended reading:
Sony a6300 Review – Real-World Video & First Impressions Sony a6500 Review – Real World Video Samples and First ImpressionsSony a6300 vs. Sony a7S II Image Quality – How Good is it Really?
FUJIFILM X-T2
At first glance, it may seem that the X-T2 mirrorless APS-C camera from FUJIFILM is rather lacklustre. On paper, it doesn’t really offer that much more than the tried and tested, indie favourite Panasonic GH4 other than the larger sensor. But it is in practice that this first foray by FUJIFILM into the mirrorless video market that this camera really shines. With a dynamic range that challenges that of the Sony A7S II, and offering astounding image resolution and detail, the FUJIFILM X-T2 certainly has earned a place in our most notable cameras of 2016.
The lesson with this one, folks, is that FUJIFILM is listening and ready to compete with the biggest names out there, having released the X-T2 and the GFX for medium format in quick succession.
Recommended reading:
FUJIFILM X-T2 Review – Real World Video Samples and First ImpressionsFujifilm X-T2 vs. Sony a7S II – Which One is the Best Mirrorless Video Camera?
Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II
Another first foray into the 4K mirrorless video market, the Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II was one of the cameras of 2016 that really caught our attention back at last year’s Photokina. Although this Micro Four-Thirds has been inevitably marketed as a stills camera with video capabilities, it still offers 24p, DCI 4K, high data rates and a very well-behaved rolling shutter. Most notably, though, is the camera’s IBIS technology that gives an almost tripod or dolly-like quality to handheld shots (up to a certain extent, of course). It needs to be seen to be believed, but even experienced Steadicam operators are singing its praises, so make sure to check it out if your style of shooting calls for a lot of handheld work.
Recommended reading:
Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II ReviewTesting the Olympus E-M1 MK II – On the Go Ep. 40 – feat. Janne AmunétOlympus E-M1 MK II: The End of the Steadicam? – On the Go Ep. 41 – feat. Janne Amunét
Panasonic GH5
One of the most anticipated cameras of 2016, the successor to the GH4 was announced last September to the delight of GH4 fans worldwide, and what an announcement it was. Expected in 2017, the Panasonic GH5 promises to bring 10-bit 4:2:2 4K, and 4K at 60/50p for the first time ever to a mirrorless system, among a host of other photography-related features. When it finally hits the market, we can expect the GH5 to be as popular and revolutionary as its predecessor, likely forcing Sony to up its game significantly with its (hopefully upcoming) A7 III line.
The GH vs A7 battle is a hot topic among video users, with interesting features on both sides of the equation. But with a history of being priced at less than half of the Sony, the Panasonic certainly has a lot going for it. More news about the GH5 (which will be released in 2017) are on the horizon.
Recommended reading:
Panasonic GH5 Announced – 4K 60p 10bit 4:2:2 internal
Panasonic Varicam LT
Announced at the beginning of 2016, the Panasonic Varicam LT came as the little brother to the larger, more expensive Varicam 35. It features a lighter, more compact body ideal for single operators, while maintaining key features from its bigger brother such as its sensor, switchable native ISO 800 / 5000, and a host of resolutions and frame rates.
Although the Panasonic Varicam LT starts at a relatively low price for a professional cinema camera, as is usually the case the price starts to add up quickly when adding essential accessories. But at $16,500, it is not out of the realm of possibility for potential owner operators.
Recommended reading:
Panasonic VariCam LT is a Lightweight High-End 4K Cinema CameraPanasonic VariCam LT – Hands-On & Exclusive 4K Footage
Canon C700
While Panasonic moved down the range of available models with the Varicam LT, the new Canon C700 is aimed at the polar opposite of the spectrum. Introduced as Canon’s new flagship cinema camera in 2016, the C700 abandons the signature vertical form factor of the C series, opting for a more traditional shape. It features 10-bit 4K, and records ProRes 422HQ and 12-bit 4444 in 2K, as well as allowing for up to 59.94p 4K in the XF-AVC codec, and RAW capabilities via the optional Codex CDX-36150 recorder. The body is also available in a Global Shutter version at the expense of 1 stop of dynamic range for a total of 14 available stops.
Recommended reading:
An Introduction to the Canon EOS C700 Cinema CameraThe Canon C700 meets Aston Martin – On The Go Ep. 33 – Clive Booth, Christian Anderl & Ingo Leitner
RED Helium 8K
Ok, so this one is not really a camera, or at least not one you can just buy off the shelf, as there were only 20 of those white RED Helium bodies released to a limited crowd. The sensor upgrade, however, is available for all existing RED Weapon and RED Epic W cameras. The new Helium sensor essentially packs twice the amount pixels, and is the first to bring 8K to the Super 35mm format. In addition, you can now record ProRes 4K proxies.
RED, as always, remains at the vanguard of digital cinema and earns a well-deserved place in our most notable cameras of 2016.
Recommended reading:
First Hands On With RED Weapon Helium 8K Camera New RED Helium 8K Sensor and Michael Bay’s Custom Camera
DJI Osmo RAW
A very innovative device in and of itself, the DJI Osmo family saw this year the inclusion of its latest member: the DJI Osmo Raw. With it, DJI managed to bring what seemed to be just a fun toy into the league of professional cinema cameras through the 4K, RAW-enabled Micro Four-Thirds imager of the Zenmuse X5R camera. Offering 12 stops of dynamic range and the ability to change lenses, as well as being compatible with the DJI Inspire 1 drone, this was truly one of the cutest cameras of 2016.
Recommended reading:
DJI Osmo RAW Review – Zenmuse X5R – First Footage How Does the Osmo RAW Compare to Professional Cinema Cameras?
DJI Inspire 2
Probably the last big announcement in terms of both drones and cameras of 2016, the DJI Inspire 2 is, as its name indicates, the successor to the very popular DJI Inspire 1. Besides huge improvements in drone performance, safety and ergonomics, the big step up is — again — the DJI Zenmuse camera. This time, however, it’s all about the Zenmuse X5S, featuring a Micro Four-Thirds sensor at a resolution of 5.2K and with both RAW and ProRes capabilities. The quality coming out of this drone’s camera is so stunning in fact, that it could be said to closely match that of the current digital cinema Gold Standard: The ARRI Alexa.
Recommended reading:
DJI Inspire 2 Review – The Drone that Rivals ARRI Alexa Image Quality?
So there you have it: the cameras of 2016 we thought were worth revisiting one more time bher 20 16 focus on what’s coming in 2017. All of us at cinema5D hope for a new year full of more exciting camera announcements and advancements, and wish you all the best of luck in your quest for compelling and beautiful image creation. Happy shooting!

We live in great times to be independent filmmakers, don’t we? Picking up the right affordable tool for the job has never been so easy. Just look around and see the amount of cameras that we can choose from these days, and this is even before the great Panasonic GH5 takes the market by storm in a few months… at least on paper. While established companies like Canon, Panasonic, Sony and Nikon all have an assortment of photo cameras that can shoot video, newcomers like FUJIFILM and Olympus are now joining the race with quality alternatives.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What has happened? Why are these companies suddenly so eager to produce photo cameras that can shoot hight-quality video?”, the answer can be found in the changing Japanese market. It is only now that local photographers are requesting their beloved companies to implement that feature. If you’ve asked yourself “Why do so many new cameras only seem to come out half-baked in terms of features (for example in the absence of internal Log)?”, then the answer is simple: those professional photographers have no need for it, or even necessarily have an idea what is a Log curve for video. This is one reason why such requests never make it to the companies.
This is exactly what seems to be the case with the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II – a 4K-capable camera with a micro 4/3 sensor that has a lot of potential, but that lacks that important true Log curve feature. Here is the official answer I got when I raised the question to Olympus:
The reason for not having a log mode is that the E-M1 Mark II is concentrating on still images. Movie mode is an add-on in case a photographer would like to make a movie as well. However there is no technical reason not to make a log mode as well when we have demand from the market”
But first things first: for me, this is the time to confess that I’m a complete newbie when it comes to Olympus cameras. The reason is simple: up until now, I felt that there was no real reason to test the video capabilities of any of their cameras. True, Olympus always shined when it came to body/lens stabilization, but that feature alone was not enough to get me excited as the video quality coming out of those cameras was simply not good enough… until now. So please hang on and join me, the newbie, while I try to get the best I can out of this camera…
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Review
Olympus Japan was kind enough to supply me the camera and an Olympus ED 12-40mm f/2.8 lens for a short test, while Olympus Europe supported us with a camera and the very impressive Olympus ED 12-100mm f/4 IS for our lab test.
I asked the lovely Mira . if I could join her on one of her journeys, and follow her while filming a short episode for her very popular channel of over 247,000 subscribers. Mira is a young Canadian YouTube blogger who lives near Tokyo, documenting and sharing her life and experiences as a “gaijin” (foreigner), in Japan.
The night before, I made sure to do my homework and study the camera menus and learn about its capabilities. On the surface, it looked rather simple. Head to the Video Menu and set the camera to your desired basic settings mode. Settings like resolution, frame rate, method of stabilisation, “flat” picture profile or not… Here’s where you find all of that.
Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II Video Mode Menu
In order to dive deeper into the menu, press the camera’s Info button. You will be able to adjust Highlights and Shadow, or the general Picture Mode. (Some picture mode adjustments are not available in “Flat Mode”).
Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II “Quick Navigation” Menu
Ready and eager to test the camera, I decided that even the dark(ish) green(ish) EVF which looked completely different to my LCD screen wouldn’t delay me from getting started.
I met Mira the next day and anxiously took my test camera out of the bag, ready to shoot. A few minutes and shutter-pressing attempts later and the camera started recording. Call me mad, but it seemed that the camera wouldn’t start recording when looking at the EVF, but only when moving it away from my eye. Take one, and Mira is out of focus. I was counting on being on Autofocus Mode, as I wanted to jump straight into testing the camera’s famous stabilization system…
Another look at the menus and then at Mira… and still no autofocus. It had vanished, completely gone from my menu system. Those of you familiar with the Olympus camera and lens system can start pointing fingers now and call me a “newbie”. For the rest, I owe an explanation. The Olympus ED 12-40mm f/2.8 I used has a small clutch for changing between manual and autofocus, just as like on the Sony 28-135mm. Obviously the clutch must have moved while travelling to the location, preventing me from changing the focus position back to “auto”. Not being aware of this, I made what Olympus describes as “a common mistake among new users”…
Needless to say, I found myself a bit restricted when following Mira and had to be extra cautious not to lose focus. However, I did get the chance to test the truly impressive capabilities of the stabilisation system, and this WITHOUT the best available lens combination one can get, as the Olympus ED 12-40mm f/2.8 is not a stabilised lens.
We literally only had 2 hours to shoot before sunset and, besides the REC button playing tricks on me, the camera preformed well. Watching the material back at my editing suite, I made the following list:
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II – Our Findings
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II pros (in no particular order):
World camera with a variety of resolutions and frame rates up to 60fps.
Nice clean video quality with a data rate of up to 237 Mbps in DCI 4K 24p, (In the above video, the average data rate is 86 Mbit/s (measured with inspector).
Outstanding built-in 5-axis Image Stabilization system. When combined with an Olympus IS lens, the level of stabilisation gets even higher.
Clean HDMI output.
Rolling shutter is well controlled. In our lab test it scored 10ms(!), performing better than the Blackmagic Ursa Mini, Sony FS7 (14ms) and Sony a7SII (25ms).
Camera body features mic and headphone jacks.
Controlling audio levels while recording is possible.
Good touch screen autofocus (although autofocus performance in continues mode is not consistent).
Proper manual focus assist, namely peaking and focus magnifying while turning the focus ring.
Timecode.
Flipped LCD screen.
“Picture mode” settings are adjustable. Unwanted profiles can be ticked off from the menu all together.
Good built-in audio quality.
Good low-light quality up to ISO 3200. ISO 6400 is usable, but please take into account that the overall noise levels in dark areas is more noticeable.
Histogram settings – possible.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II cons (in no particular order):
Flat Mode, is not really “flat”.
No 25p in DCI 4K mode.
Very high contrast even in flat mode. You need to dig into the picture menu in order to make it “flatter”…
LCD and EVF show very different pictures in terms of look. The EVF has the tendency to be saturated and greener.
Eyepiece is stiff and non-removable. It makes it hard to work outdoors.
At times, moiré is evident on fine patterns.
Digital Convertor – Olympus’s version of digitally magnifying the picture while shooting video – falls short against Sony’s Clear Image Zoom technology.
When changing between the 2 available stabilisation modes (M-IS 1/2), expect a significant crop factor in M-IS 1 and a decrease in video quality, as the body stabilisation works together with digital stabilisation.
At times, the camera will freeze and become unresponsive. Something to monitor in the near future.
No aspect markers (options from 4:3 to 2.35:1 would be valuable).
If you are a fan of using “auto white balance”, take in account that the changes in color temperature are sudden and not graduated.
Average battery life.
Conclusion:
The OM-D E-M1 Mark II is a very big step forward for Olympus when it comes to video picture quality! In fact, it is one of the best video-capable photo cameras that I have recently tested. The higher video data rate along with the excellent stabilisation system makes it a valid option as an A-camera working tool. On the other hand, Olympus (like many of the other Japanese camera manufacturers) is very clear about the positioning of that camera. Here is an extract from our mail exchange with them:
It is a stills camera with movie capabilities and not the other way around. Therefore we expect that the user is not that experienced and we would like to support them to get a nice looking movie as much as possible. In case the market is requesting a log mode, we are open to change this in future firmware updates
You will have to agree with me that, in a way, this is a missed opportunity. But since it doesn’t look like it was made intentionally in order to cripple the product, there is still the possibility of change via firmware update and get much more from this wonderful device.
The competition is tough and will probably get even tougher the minute Panasonic announces their final GH5 specifications. As the OM-D E-M1 Mark II will be Olympus’s flagship camera for the next 2-3 years, I do hope that the engineers will consider to “go wild”, and be restricted only by camera hardware when implementing newer functionality and usability with future firmware updates.
A “flat” version of the above video can be looked at/downloaded here:
Camera settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Review video: DCI 4K, 24p Edited on Adobe Premiere. Slightly color corrected in Premiere. Audio was slightly treated with audacity.
Not tested: HD video quality, and long shooting periods to determine if the camera overheats.
Music: Art-list, 1 – 24 by Tomer Ben Ari – Going South
Thank you Mira for helping in executing this video.
Would you like to see Olympus add a Log curve as a picture profile? If you are a European user, would you like to see DCI 4K at 25p? Let us know in the below comment section!

We live in great times to be independent filmmakers, don’t we? Picking up the right affordable tool for the job has never been so easy. Just look around and see the amount of cameras that we can choose from these days, and this is even before the great Panasonic GH5 takes the market by storm in a few months… at least on paper. While established companies like Canon, Panasonic, Sony and Nikon all have an assortment of photo cameras that can shoot video, newcomers like FUJIFILM and Olympus are now joining the race with quality alternatives.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What has happened? Why are these companies suddenly so eager to produce photo cameras that can shoot hight-quality video?”, the answer can be found in the changing Japanese market. It is only now that local photographers are requesting their beloved companies to implement that feature. If you’ve asked yourself “Why do so many new cameras only seem to come out half-baked in terms of features (for example in the absence of internal Log)?”, then the answer is simple: those professional photographers have no need for it, or even necessarily have an idea what is a Log curve for video. This is one reason why such requests never make it to the companies.
This is exactly what seems to be the case with the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II – a 4K-capable camera with a micro 4/3 sensor that has a lot of potential, but that lacks that important true Log curve feature. Here is the official answer I got when I raised the question to Olympus:
The reason for not having a log mode is that the E-M1 Mark II is concentrating on still images. Movie mode is an add-on in case a photographer would like to make a movie as well. However there is no technical reason not to make a log mode as well when we have demand from the market”
But first things first: for me, this is the time to confess that I’m a complete newbie when it comes to Olympus cameras. The reason is simple: up until now, I felt that there was no real reason to test the video capabilities of any of their cameras. True, Olympus always shined when it came to body/lens stabilization, but that feature alone was not enough to get me excited as the video quality coming out of those cameras was simply not good enough… until now. So please hang on and join me, the newbie, while I try to get the best I can out of this camera…
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Review
Olympus Japan was kind enough to supply me the camera and an Olympus ED 12-40mm f/2.8 lens for a short test, while Olympus Europe supported us with a camera and the very impressive Olympus ED 12-100mm f/4 IS for our lab test.
I asked the lovely Mira . if I could join her on one of her journeys, and follow her while filming a short episode for her very popular channel of over 247,000 subscribers. Mira is a young Canadian YouTube blogger who lives near Tokyo, documenting and sharing her life and experiences as a “gaijin” (foreigner), in Japan.
The night before, I made sure to do my homework and study the camera menus and learn about its capabilities. On the surface, it looked rather simple. Head to the Video Menu and set the camera to your desired basic settings mode. Settings like resolution, frame rate, method of stabilisation, “flat” picture profile or not… Here’s where you find all of that.
Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II Video Mode Menu
In order to dive deeper into the menu, press the camera’s Info button. You will be able to adjust Highlights and Shadow, or the general Picture Mode. (Some picture mode adjustments are not available in “Flat Mode”).
Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II “Quick Navigation” Menu
Ready and eager to test the camera, I decided that even the dark(ish) green(ish) EVF which looked completely different to my LCD screen wouldn’t delay me from getting started.
I met Mira the next day and anxiously took my test camera out of the bag, ready to shoot. A few minutes and shutter-pressing attempts later and the camera started recording. Call me mad, but it seemed that the camera wouldn’t start recording when looking at the EVF, but only when moving it away from my eye. Take one, and Mira is out of focus. I was counting on being on Autofocus Mode, as I wanted to jump straight into testing the camera’s famous stabilization system…
Another look at the menus and then at Mira… and still no autofocus. It had vanished, completely gone from my menu system. Those of you familiar with the Olympus camera and lens system can start pointing fingers now and call me a “newbie”. For the rest, I owe an explanation. The Olympus ED 12-40mm f/2.8 I used has a small clutch for changing between manual and autofocus, just as like on the Sony 28-135mm. Obviously the clutch must have moved while travelling to the location, preventing me from changing the focus position back to “auto”. Not being aware of this, I made what Olympus describes as “a common mistake among new users”…
Needless to say, I found myself a bit restricted when following Mira and had to be extra cautious not to lose focus. However, I did get the chance to test the truly impressive capabilities of the stabilisation system, and this WITHOUT the best available lens combination one can get, as the Olympus ED 12-40mm f/2.8 is not a stabilised lens.
We literally only had 2 hours to shoot before sunset and, besides the REC button playing tricks on me, the camera preformed well. Watching the material back at my editing suite, I made the following list:
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II – Our Findings
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II pros (in no particular order):
World camera with a variety of resolutions and frame rates up to 60fps.
Nice clean video quality with a data rate of up to 237 Mbps in DCI 4K 24p, (In the above video, the average data rate is 86 Mbit/s (measured with inspector).
Outstanding built-in 5-axis Image Stabilization system. When combined with an Olympus IS lens, the level of stabilisation gets even higher.
Clean HDMI output.
Rolling shutter is well controlled. In our lab test it scored 10ms(!), performing better than the Blackmagic Ursa Mini, Sony FS7 (14ms) and Sony a7SII (25ms).
Camera body features mic and headphone jacks.
Controlling audio levels while recording is possible.
Good touch screen autofocus (although autofocus performance in continues mode is not consistent).
Proper manual focus assist, namely peaking and focus magnifying while turning the focus ring.
Timecode.
Flipped LCD screen.
“Picture mode” settings are adjustable. Unwanted profiles can be ticked off from the menu all together.
Good built-in audio quality.
Good low-light quality up to ISO 3200. ISO 6400 is usable, but please take into account that the overall noise levels in dark areas is more noticeable.
Histogram settings – possible.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II cons (in no particular order):
Flat Mode, is not really “flat”.
No 25p in DCI 4K mode.
Very high contrast even in flat mode. You need to dig into the picture menu in order to make it “flatter”…
LCD and EVF show very different pictures in terms of look. The EVF has the tendency to be saturated and greener.
Eyepiece is stiff and non-removable. It makes it hard to work outdoors.
At times, moiré is evident on fine patterns.
Digital Convertor – Olympus’s version of digitally magnifying the picture while shooting video – falls short against Sony’s Clear Image Zoom technology.
When changing between the 2 available stabilisation modes (M-IS 1/2), expect a significant crop factor in M-IS 1 and a decrease in video quality, as the body stabilisation works together with digital stabilisation.
At times, the camera will freeze and become unresponsive. Something to monitor in the near future.
No aspect markers (options from 4:3 to 2.35:1 would be valuable).
If you are a fan of using “auto white balance”, take in account that the changes in color temperature are sudden and not graduated.
Average battery life.
Conclusion:
The OM-D E-M1 Mark II is a very big step forward for Olympus when it comes to video picture quality! In fact, it is one of the best video-capable photo cameras that I have recently tested. The higher video data rate along with the excellent stabilisation system makes it a valid option as an A-camera working tool. On the other hand, Olympus (like many of the other Japanese camera manufacturers) is very clear about the positioning of that camera. Here is an extract from our mail exchange with them:
It is a stills camera with movie capabilities and not the other way around. Therefore we expect that the user is not that experienced and we would like to support them to get a nice looking movie as much as possible. In case the market is requesting a log mode, we are open to change this in future firmware updates
You will have to agree with me that, in a way, this is a missed opportunity. But since it doesn’t look like it was made intentionally in order to cripple the product, there is still the possibility of change via firmware update and get much more from this wonderful device.
The competition is tough and will probably get even tougher the minute Panasonic announces their final GH5 specifications. As the OM-D E-M1 Mark II will be Olympus’s flagship camera for the next 2-3 years, I do hope that the engineers will consider to “go wild”, and be restricted only by camera hardware when implementing newer functionality and usability with future firmware updates.
A “flat” version of the above video can be looked at/downloaded here:
Camera settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Review video: DCI 4K, 24p Edited on Adobe Premiere. Slightly color corrected in Premiere. Audio was slightly treated with audacity.
Not tested: HD video quality, and long shooting periods to determine if the camera overheats.
Music: Art-list, 1 – 24 by Tomer Ben Ari – Going South
Thank you Mira for helping in executing this video.
Would you like to see Olympus add a Log curve as a picture profile? If you are a European user, would you like to see DCI 4K at 25p? Let us know in the below comment section!

Watch previous episodes of ON THE COUCH & ON THE GO by clicking here! Visit our Vimeo and YouTube playlists, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!
Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming! Thanks to Hedge for Mac, G-Technology, Røde Microphones, Sachtler, in association with Ford Netherland (thanks for the Ford Galaxy car loan!) and Sony Europe (thanks for the 4K Action cam loan!)
In this second part of our conversation with Finnish filmmaker Janne Amunét, he tells us a little more about his experience as a camera tester for the Olympus E-M1 MK II.
There are many ways to skin a cat, they say. And there are many ways to stabilise a moving camera: Steadycam, gimbal, dolly, slider… and in recent times, also the In-Body Image Stabilisation available in many modern cameras. In this part of our conversation with Janne, he tells us about his opinion of the excellent sensor stabilisation found on the new Olympus E-M1 MK II.
A few years ago, brushless gimbals took the market by storm, and it has got to the point where you can get a stabiliser for your DSLR or mirrorless for a relatively low cost. But as it becomes easier and easier to get similar results just by handholding the camera without having to worry about extra weight, power, or setup time, it feels almost certain that we will see a change in the visual language, as shooters come up with new ways to exploit what new cameras have to offer. Exciting times ahead indeed!
Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming! Thanks to Hedge for Mac, G-Technology, Røde Microphones, Sachtler and in association with Ford and Sony.

Watch previous episodes of ON THE COUCH & ON THE GO by clicking here! Visit our Vimeo and YouTube playlists, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!
Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming! Thanks to Hedge for Mac, G-Technology, Røde Microphones, Sachtler, in association with Ford Netherland (thanks for the Ford Galaxy car loan!) and Sony Europe (thanks for the 4K Action cam loan!)
In this second part of our conversation with Finnish filmmaker Janne Amunét, he tells us a little more about his experience as a camera tester for the Olympus E-M1 MK II.
There are many ways to skin a cat, they say. And there are many ways to stabilise a moving camera: Steadycam, gimbal, dolly, slider… and in recent times, also the In-Body Image Stabilisation available in many modern cameras. In this part of our conversation with Janne, he tells us about his opinion of the excellent sensor stabilisation found on the new Olympus E-M1 MK II.
A few years ago, brushless gimbals took the market by storm, and it has got to the point where you can get a stabiliser for your DSLR or mirrorless for a relatively low cost. But as it becomes easier and easier to get similar results just by handholding the camera without having to worry about extra weight, power, or setup time, it feels almost certain that we will see a change in the visual language, as shooters come up with new ways to exploit what new cameras have to offer. Exciting times ahead indeed!
Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming! Thanks to Hedge for Mac, G-Technology, Røde Microphones, Sachtler and in association with Ford and Sony.